Yash Bhatia finally coming good after being struck down by Pulwama attack, Covid

Twenty-year-old Yash Bhatia, who belonged to the last batch of the Delhi under-14 team that went to play the North Zone tournament for Dhruv Pandove Trophy in Jammu back in 2019 only to return without a game due to Pulwama attack, has been one of those players in the Capital whose potential is yet to be recognised.

The right-handed batsman is, however, coming of age and making it all count this year. He is the second highest run-getter in the DDCA League Premier 1 division with 747 runs at 78 with four tons and a 90 to his name.

His capability and potential were on display at the St Stephen's College Ground on Monday as he led Food Corporation of India (FCI) to a nine-wicket win over LB Shastri Coaching Centre in the 50th Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial Cricket Tournament that is underway here.

Bhatia hammered 102 not out off 48 balls (11x4s, 6x6s) after LB Shastri Coaching had made 179/9 in the allotted 20 overs based mainly on Bharat Sindhwani's 74 off 49 balls (6x4s, 4x6s).

"I was about five when I began playing cricket. I accompanied my cousin to an academy and influenced by him, I got myself enrolled, taking up the sport seriously at the age of eight," says the resident of Vikaspuri, who completed schooling at Bal Bharti Public School in Sector-12, Dwarka before joining Swami Shraddhanand College for his undergraduate studies.

Yash Bhatia

He was 10 when his coach at his school moved to Canada, forcing him to join Ace Cricket Academy. At 14, he joined the Bal Bhawan Cricket Academy.

Bhatia has represented Delhi at under-14 level and under-19 levels before he finally came good for the state at the under-23 level last season.

"I was picked for the Delhi under-14 team in 2019. We went to Jammu but before we could play our first match, the Pulwama attack happened. We were supposed to play at the Science College Ground in Jammu but firing happened around 5km of its vicinity. Since we were under-14 players, we were asked to stay in the hotel. We were there for 10 days before we returned," recalls Bhatia.

He lost an opportunity to play under-16 cricket for Delhi to Covid. Though he managed to play for Delhi under-19s he got just six matches in three years, scoring a fifty and a 40-odd.

It was only last season, that is the 2024-25 one, with an opportunity arising at the under-23 level, that he came good and hammered a century on his Col CK Nayudu Trophy debut.

"I made 144 and 39 not out against Saurashtra. I could make only four against Mumbai. But it is good that I have got runs at the level and this bodes well," said Bhatia, who opens the innings.

The stint at league for FCI has produced four tons and a 90 in the 747-run aggregate. Prior to FCI, where he is on a stipend, he represented NK Khanna Club in the DDCA League.

In another GG Dutt Memorial match, Delhi Challengers Cricket Club, riding on Lalit Yadav's 63 not out off 36 balls (4x4s, 5x6s) and skipper Kaif Ahmed's 55 off 21 balls (5x4s, 5x6s) made 234/7 in the allotted 18 overs to beat Mount Cricket Club by 22 runs. Mount made 212/7 with wicketkeeper Shivam Gupta, the top-scorer with 73 off 38 balls. The Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial Cricket Tournament is part of Delhi's Hot Weather Circuit. The golden jubilee edition of the tournament is being played in coloured clothes and white ball.

Tags : Yash Bhatia, Pulwama, Covid, Delhi cricket, Hot Weather, FCI, DDCA